In the midst of a poor season, outstanding individual performances can lose their luster. If Sammy Capielano were playing for a winning team right now, he’d be trumpeted for the hot streak he’s currently riding.

The UNO shortstop and leadoff hitter is in the midst of an 11-game hitting streak and is 16 of 27 in his last six games, an impressive .593 average. For the season, Capielano is hitting a team-leading .382. He’s had 13 multi-hit games and has had multi hits in six straight contests.

The good new for the Privateers (8-18, 1-8 in the Southland Conference), suffering through another losing year, is that Capielano, from Holy Cross, is a freshman.

And he’s not the only Privateer freshman making a contribution. Outfielder Hezekiah Randolph is hitting .304 this season and leads the squad in home runs with three and RBIs with 20. Randolph had a 16-game hitting streak earlier this season.

Pitcher Hunter Medine has gone from a disappointing fall season to the bullpen to start 2014 into the weekend rotation. He is 3-0, including a victory against Tulane, with a 0.77 earned-run average. Opponents are hitting .177 against him and he’s allowed but two earned runs in 23.1 innings pitched.

It’s clear that UNO coach Ron Maestri, in his first year, is paving his rebuilding project with youth. The Privateers started four freshmen in Wednesday’s non-conference game against the University of Southern Mississippi, which UNO lost, 9-7.

“But it’s like I told them, it’s a short walk from the penthouse to the outhouse. The concentration has to be there every game. It’s tough. They’ve faced some good pitching.’’

The freshmen said it’s been a big adjustment from high school to.

Randolph, who was also a star running back at Parkview Baptist in Baton Rouge in high school, said the speed of the college game is different and the pitching is much better.

“I thought people were making more out of it (college pitching) than it actually was,’’ Randolph said. “But it is very good. They have command of every pitch and that’s big. If you can throw every pitch for a strike in any count, that’s very big. You don’t see a lot of that in high school.

“It took me quite a few at-bats to get adjusted to the college pitching. You realize you don’t just show up out here and play. It takes a lot of hard work and a lot of training to be successful.’’

It can also be humbling, Randolph said.

He’s struggled the last few games, with only one hit in his last 16 at-bats.

Maestri said for Randolph and all the freshmen, learning to hit the breaking ball in college takes a lot of work.

“I told him you’re not going to get all fastballs,’’ Maestri said. “People scout us like we scout them and now they’re throwing a lot of breaking balls (to Randolph). That will be the biggest adjustment he has to make. He’s got to make the adjustment to hit the off-speed pitch, curveball and changeup. It’s a huge adjustment. He’s done well. He’s in a little funk right now. But I told him, ‘You’re going to go good then all of a sudden, you’re going to have a bad couple of games.’ He’s a pretty level-headed kid.’’

Capielano has had even more of an adjustment as he played primarily second base in high school. Maestri said Capielano’s fielding skills allowed the Privateers to move him over a spot. They’re hoping to bring in another shortstop next season and allow Capielano to return to his natural position.

Capielano, like Randolph, said the key adjustment is to the speed of the college game. But he said he enjoys the challenge at the next level.

“I’ve been working hard, doing the little things,’’ Capielano said. “It took me a couple of weeks but I felt like I got adjusted fairly quickly. I think, growing up, working on the little things was taught to me and that’s what Coach Mase and the other coaches here do, too.

“It’s definitely frustrating not winning. Sometimes it feels like we try to do too much, try too hard. We just need to let the game play itself and enjoy it. I think we have a lot of potential.’’

Randolph said what he has learned so far about the college game is it’s a daily grind. In high school, he said, he was able to do so much because of his ability.

“(Opponents) make adjustments every day and it’s up to you to do the same,’’ Randolph said. “There is no sure way they’re pitching me. I’m getting something different at every at-bat. And if you’re caught thinking too much, you’ll look stupid.’’

Maestri said it’s all a part of a learning curve. But he said he likes the way his young players have adjusted and thinks the future is bright for them.